Pencil



Jam 3, 1930. P, J. OSULLNA 1,761,407

PENQIL Filed May 25, 1929 Patented June 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC PATRICK J. OSULLIVAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. AS$IGNOR 'IO BLAISDELL PEN CIL I COMPANY, OF PHILADELBHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA PENCIL 1 application filed May 25, 1929. Serial No. 365;!302.

This invention relates generally to pencils and has particular reference to improvements in what are generally known as paper pencils.

Such paper pencils comprise a stick of suitable marking material such as lead or crayon, sheathed by a rolled sheet of paper. This paper is usually of xconsiderable tensile strength. In pencils of this kind which are best known on the market, the sheet of paper is scored'or weakened along parallel lines so disposed in the sheet as to cause the lines to be spirally arranged when the sheet is rolled around the marking material. This scoring is'usually so deep'as to practically sever the paper so that when the sheet is rolled the marking material is covered'by what is for all practical purposes, a set of spirally wound strips. Such pencils Were usually provided also with cuts-or depressions in the outer layer to facilitate cutting or tearing the outer layer, while at the same time serving as a guide or marker by which the widths of the strips could be gauged. When it was necessary to expose a fresh portion of the marking ma terial it was necessary to usethe fingers or some implement to cut or tear the outer convolution of the material from one of the cuts or depressions to the 'next's'o as to permit unwinding a strip of the covering.

One of the difficulties with such pencils was that it is quite difficult to break or tear the wrapped materialewith the fingers and this was particularly true whenrthe exterior of the pencil had been given a coat of varnish, enamel or the like. The strips could readily be cut by a suitable implement, but such an im plement was not always available.

One object of thepresentl invention is to make it easy and convenient to break or tear through'the'successive strips as required to expose fresh sectionsof the marking material for use. 7 7

With this and other objects in view, the invention consists in anovel construction and relation of elements, the principal features of specification.

In said drawings: Fig. '1 is a view of a pencil containing the invention. V

Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. 1 except that it illustrates the operation of the improvement.

is sheathed or protected by a sheet 11 of paper or the like rolled around the marking mate rial. The outer edge 12 of the sheet is glued or otherwisesecured to the exterior of the sheet when the winding is completed and the exterior may be treated with paint, varnish or enamel of any desired color for ornamental purposes or to protect the wrapping material.

' The sheet of wrapping material may be in the form of strips extending spirally whenthe sheet is rolled up, with a separate wrapper for the rolled sheet, but it is preferred to use a sheet which is scored and weakened alongthe lines 13 in such a way as to give substantially the same effect as the separate strips.

The lines or scorings 13 are, therefore, ata slight angle to the length of the sheetso that the lines will be spirally disposed after the sheet is wound.

Before the scored sheet is wound it is per-- forated or slitted as at 14 to form a tongue or tab 15 in each strip. As-will be seen from Fig. 4, the perforations or slots 14 are so formed that one of their edges coincides with the scoring 13, leaving a comparatively narrowportion '16 of the strip adjacent the slot.

When the sheet 11 is properly rolled the narrow uncut portion of each strip is nearer the point or writing end of the pencil than the slot 14. V V

7 Each of the slots let is shorter on the'side nearer the pointof the pencil than at the side coinciding with the score line, therebyfacilitating a proper disposition of the tabs15. This disposition consists in folding all of the tabs along the lines 17 so that the tabs are dis posed at a suit-able angle to the axis of the pencil. The tabs or tongues 15 are all of such length that when folded the end. of each of them will lie under the nekt strip of the wrapper so that each time a strip of the wrapper is removed the end of the tab for the next strip will be exposed. In removing a strip its tab will be seized by the fingers and pulled outward, thereby cutting through the narrow uncut portion it of its strip and freeing the end of the strip for removal.

In order to call attention to the presence of the tab and its purpose the inner side of the sheet may be distinctively colored or a strip of distinctive coloring may be placed across that portion of the inside of the sheet in which the tabs or tongues 15 are formed. As a result, when the tabs are folded over the end projecting from underneath its strip willshow this coloring. It is preferred always to use a coloring on the tabs which is different from the protective or decorative coating on the exterior of the pencil.

As stated above, the paper used in making the covers for the marking material has considerable tensile strength. This, in connection with the fact that the portions 16 of the. strip are easily severed, makes it unlikely that the tabs will tear or break off" when pulled without cutting through the portions 16. However, if this should occur it is easy to counteract the accident. This is because each strip is of a double thickness at the'fold 17 affording an abutment which permits engagement by a finger nail to tear easily through the strip and free it for removal. While the use of the tabs for cutting the strip is preferred, the tab or tongue might be used simply to form the fold or abutment mentioned with out having the end exposed.

It is thought that from the foregoing the construction and operation are clear. However, it may be said that the user of the pencil can grasp the tab 15 and use it to cut through the portion 16 of its strip to free the strip for removal, the removal of the strip incidentally exposing the tab for the next strip ready for operation when the next strip is to be re moved."

' While the embodiment shown in the drawing and hereinbefore described is very satisfactory for the purpose, the invention is capable of other embodiments with suitable modifications, all of which modifications come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A pencil comprising av stick of marking material, a jacket for said stick composed of aset of spirally wound strips fastened together at their outer ends, and a tab on each strip operable to tear through said strip to free it for removal to expose a fresh portion of the marking material.

. 2. A pencil comprising a lead, a jacket for the lead composed of a set of spirally wound strips fastened together at their outer ends, and a tab on each strip which is exposed for operation to tear through its strip when the preceding strip is removed, said tabs being distinctively colored.

3. A pencil. comprising a lead, a jacket for the lead composed of a set of spirally wound strips fastened together at their outer ends, and a tab formed from the material of each strip and operable to tear through said strip to free it for removal to expose a fresh portion of the lead.

4. A pencil comprising a marking material, a rolled sheet of material Surrounding the marking material and having spirally disposed lines of weakness to permit removing the material a strip at a time, and a tab integral with each strip for tearing through the strip to free the strip for removal.

5. A paper covered pencil in which the covering is in the form of spirally wound separately removable strips, fastened together at their outer ends and having a tab attached to and under each strip, a portion of which tab is exposed by the removal of the preceding strip for operation to tear through its strip to free same for removal.

6. A pencil comprising a stick of marking material, a jacket for said stick composed of a set of spirally wound strips fastened together at their outer ends, each of said strips being out along one edge to form a tongue of such length and which is folded under its strip in such a manner as to expose the end thereof for operation to tear through its strip.

7. A pencil comprising a stick of marking material, a cover therefor rolled about said stick and scored along spirally disposed lines to permit removing the material a strip at a time, and a tab formed from the material of each strip and folded under the strip at such an angle that the end of the tab for one strip will be exposed when the preceding strip is removed, said tabs being operable to tear the strips for removal to expose fresh portions of themarking material.

8. A pencil comprising a stick of marking material, a covering for said stick composed of a set of spirally wound strips fastened together at their outer ends, and a set of tabs, one for each strip, each operable to tear through its strip and free same for removal.

9. A pencil comprising a stick of marking material, a cover wound around said stick which is constructed to form spirally disposed separately removable strips fastened at their outer ends and having tongues struck in the material folded under the strips to give a double thickness of the strip material at the folds.

10. A pencil comprising a stick of marking material, a cover wound around said stick which is scored along spirally disposed lines 1375 to permit removin the cover a strip at a time, each of said strips heing out near its outer end to form a tab Which is folded under the strip wt give a double thickness of the strip material at one edge of the out.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature. PATRICK J. OSULLIVAN. 

